The Steelers' offense has suffered due to injuries and ineffectiveness. They have totaled 19 points through two games. They rank 26th in the NFL with a 4.37-yards-per-play average. They average 2.4 yards per rush, 31st in the league.

"We need to run the ball more effectively," Roethlisberger said. "We need to be better throwing the ball, and turning the ball over just kills you. That eliminates points.

"We know we’ve got a tough opponent coming in, and especially offensively for us, they’re a really good defense. It’s not like it’s getting any easier. We need to get on our Ps and Qs and focus in."

The Steelers’ problems go deeper than their 0-2 record, and they bubbled over along the sideline in the second half of Monday night’s game in Cincinnati.
There, wide receiver Antonio Brown confronted offensive coordinator Todd Haley. Brown angrily complained to the coach that not enough pass plays were called for him, several sources told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
Specifics of the argument were hard to come by but sources say that Haley was upset by Brown’s actions and that the two were still seething about it Tuesday. Brown’s complaint to Haley was harsh enough and the reaction to it along the sideline volatile to the point that many people there noticed, although it was not shown nor apparently caught on camera by anyone, including ESPN, which broadcast the game.
Brown was targeted three times in the first half when he caught two passes for 35 yards from quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, according to the official statistics from the contest. He wound up being targeted with nine passes for the game, catching a team-high six for 57 yards with a long of 18.
Fellow starting wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders caught three of the four passes that came his way in the first half for 71 yards and finished with five receptions for 78 yards; he was targeted a team-high 10 passes in the game.
But it was Jerricho Cotchery, the No. 3 receiver, who was targeted most often in the first half. Roethlisberger sent five passes his way during the first two quarters, although none connected. Cotchery finished with three receptions for 59 yards and tied Brown with nine passes attempted to him.
Sanders also was targeted more often than Brown in the first game against Tennessee, with 12 passes recorded for him; he caught seven for 57 yards. Brown caught five of the seven passes attempted for him in the opener for a team-high 71 yards. In that game, Cotchery also had seven passes attempted for him; he caught four for 34 yards.
So after two games, Sanders has been targeted a team-high 22 times, Brown and Cotchery 16 times each. Sanders leads the Steelers with 12 receptions for 135 yards and Brown a close second with 11 catches for 128 yards.
This is not the first time Brown has complained to coaches and teammates about not getting enough passes thrown his way. It happened last season as well, sources said, although not to the point where it elicited the kind of reaction it got from his Monday night sideline eruption.
Brown, a sixth-round draft choice from Central Michigan in 2010, broke out in a big way in his second season when he became the first player in NFL history with at least 1,000 receiving yards (1,108) and 1,000 return yards (1,062) in the same season. He set the team record with 2,211 all-purpose yards in 2011. His teammates voted him their MVP that season and he made the Pro Bowl as a returner.
When Mike Wallace turned down their offer for a multiple-year offer in 2012, the Steelers signed Brown to a reported six-year, $43 million contract at the start of training camp.
Brown’s statistics dipped last season. His 66 receptions were only three off his total from 2011 but his 787 yards dropped his average from 16.1 per catch in 2011 to 11.9 last season.
Heath Miller led the Steelers last season with 71 receptions (for 816 yards) and Sanders led them with 836 yards (on 64 receptions).

SuperFanDBS Writer

The Steelers will see this game as though their entire 2013 season is at stake Sunday night. They will be like a cornered wild animal. They are at home in front of their fans. This is a game they will play at playoff intensity. No way this is an easy win.

It's a well-documented and an overly stated fact in the NFL that teams that fall into the dreaded 0-3 hole almost never make it out. The Pittsburgh Steelers are currently 0-2, with a loss at home to the Tennessee Titans and an away loss to their AFC North rival Cincinnati Bengals.

You might be ready to write off the Steelers due to their struggles, but let's remember this is a team with proven winners, and they'll be desperate heading into week three.

The Chicago Bears travel to Pittsburgh riding a two game winning streak over playoff teams from 2012. The offense seems rejuvenated, and the defense is still forcing turnovers and playing that vaunted Bears-style defense. It looks as if Chicago is moving into contender territory while Pittsburg is moving out.

And they are passing each other on the way.

The Steelers’ main problem in the first two weeks is their inability to get the ball in the end zone. They've managed to score two offensive touchdowns on 19 drives this season (conversion rate of .105), and they are struggling to move the ball on the ground and through the air — the offense has managed to only accumulate 397 total yards through its first two games (198 yards per game). The Steelers rushing attack is basically non-existent so far only averaging 37.5 yards per game on 31 attempts.

The most glaring statistic to show the struggles of the Steelers’ offense to me is the amount of punts and where those punts have gone. 14 punts by Zoltan Mesko and only one has managed to land inside the 20 yard line with no touchbacks.

This means the Steelers have consistently been giving teams good field position and have failed to move the ball past midfield. It's been an utter disaster in Pittsburgh in this early season, but this is a team bound to bounce back, and it could come at home this weekend.

While the offense has struggled, the defense is still keeping the games close. Opposing teams’ passing attacks have been limited by the pressure up front and solid secondary play. Teams are only averaging 198 yards passing per game against the Steelers.

Where they are getting beat is one the ground, surrendering 119 yards per game and at least one touchdown. We saw Monday just how effective a balanced attack can be against the Steelers, with the Bengals using BenJarvus Green-Ellis and Giovani Bernard out of the back field on rushing plays and short passing downs.

The Bears come in with momentum off two come-from-behind victories and with a tough stretch of games directly following this game, including a divisional matchup. The Bears could potentially overlook this struggling Steelers team. Heinz Field will be a playoff-like atmosphere on Sunday night, and the Steelers will treat this game like a playoff game.

A desperate and focused Ben Roethlisberger — a two-time Super Bowl champion — could easily pull off this upset if the Bears come in unprepared. Roethlisberger has been put in these back against the wall situations ever since he was a rookie, and he's proven time and time again that he's capable of winning games like this.

Only three other 0-3 teams have made the playoffs in the last 23 years, and hopefully the Steelers find themselves in that dreaded 0-3 hole come Monday.

These teams are all starting to fall apart fast this year. We have pit, washington, cleveland, st. louy these games all should be locks. And even more could fall apart like the Giants and Dallas. Now only 1 game looks meaningful and that's new orleans till the bye. That tough schedule everyone thought we had is starting to look more like a cake walk.

I am with JABF. They are fighting for there whole season here. The way to win is to execute without errors so they get frustrated and doubting themselves. So far this season we have not been executing without penalties, turn overs, and missed opportunities. It's time to turn up the heat and not let the Steelers into the game.

SuperFanDBS Writer

I am with JABF. They are fighting for there whole season here. The way to win is to execute without errors so they get frustrated and doubting themselves. So far this season we have not been executing without penalties, turn overs, and missed opportunities. It's time to turn up the heat and not let the Steelers into the game.

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I can't wait to see how Trestman calls this game. Games at Heinz are like going into Lambeau......rabid, loud & crazy fans. We need to not give them any hope early. But if we do stupid stuff like turn the ball over, then this game could turn out to be a nightmare. Gotta step on their neck early, and take the crowd out of it also.

I believe our best hope is for the defense to show up. This game bothers me. Steelers aren't as bad as their record. If Ben wasn't over throwing his receivers like he has then this team is 2-0. I will be at the game with my 5 year old grandson for his first BEARS game.

SuperFanDBS Writer

I believe our best hope is for the defense to show up. This game bothers me. Steelers aren't as bad as their record. If Ben wasn't over throwing his receivers like he has then this team is 2-0. I will be at the game with my 5 year old grandson for his first BEARS game.

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FWIW, be careful. I've had a couple of scary incidents with young ones being subjected to drunk idiot fans. When my son was little, I'd take him and one or two of his buddies to games. One game we had a really bad issue due to a youngster who was with me, having a rival jersey on, and you'd think NOBODY would be nasty to a little boy. But the drunks don't think straight. I will always be grateful for two big ass Tampa Bay fans (both of them 300lb + studs) who threatened to kick some ass if the drunks didn't leave us alone. Scared the crap out of the young boy I was with, and me too. There was another incident (different year) where I truly thought I'd have to fight some idiots who just wanted to fight (I had done nothing to piss them off, they were just blind drunk wanting to fight).....I had young kids with me that game too. It was a REAL downer.

Just be careful, and you may not want to wear Bears jerseys. Night games can be pretty ugly with the drunks.

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